May 20, 2015

I got a chance to pass by Fort Lauderdale High on Tuesday to watch the Flying L’s Blue and White Game and was impressed by several of their athletes.

First, 6-4, 225-pound Class of 2016 defensive end Jaquwan Nelson was absolutely dominant in his pass rush and has a solid frame to build upon at the next level.

The three-star UM commit with active hands off the edge demands a double team. One blocker isn’t enough to contain him as a quick and forceful rip move swiftly gets him past linemen. I counted at least three times that he busted through for a “sack” (no contact on the quarterback).

Nelson spoke with me about what it meant to him to get that offer from the Hurricanes at UM’s Junior Day and how he reacted.

“It was a dream come true. I always wanted to play for UM as a little kid,” Nelson said. “My heart was pumping. My reaction was outrageous. I didn’t know what to do.”

Nelson lists himself as a “very solid” commit but is keeping his options open. He put his commitment status at 90 percent.

Nelson (pictured in three-point stance below) says the other schools that make up the remaining 10 percent would be Florida State, Notre Dame and Oregon State. Of those, Oregon State has offered while he says he’s heard from the other two but they are not showing too much interest.

Dallas Jeanty, a three-star 6-1, 220-pound linebacker is urging to get a Hurricanes offer and join Nelson in the Canes’ 2016 class, as well as several other close friends in the class.

“I’m the biggest Miami fan on the planet. I’ve wanted a Miami offer forever,” says Jeanty, who currently lists 34 other offers.

He says if he got the UM offer, he would “definitely commit on the spot.”

As for now, Jeanty (pictured behind Nelson to the left) says Oregon State is his leader followed by Cincinnati and Army.

With a 3.9 GPA and a 1260 on the SAT (reading and math), he has been offered by all eight Ivy League schools. He wants a competitive school both in academics and in football, so that’s another reason why the Miami offer is so important to him. He’s also hopeful for a Notre Dame and USC offer.

Another solid-looking linebacker for Fort Lauderdale who is not getting the recruiting attention is 5-11, 210-pound 2017 prospect Darryl Weaver.

Weaver showed tremendous instincts getting to the ball and hits hard with good form when he tackles. He also had a fumble recovery in the scrimmage.

Kevin Thomas, a defensive back who was playing some outside linebacker on Tuesday, scooped up a fumble recovery for a touchdown on a backward pass.

Cornerback Duwan Smith is very good in coverage and reacts well with quick hips.

USF, Minnesota, Akron and Navy all had coaches at Fort Lauderdale's spring scrimmage.

May 14, 2015

After Shaquery Wilson took his talents to Georgia and several other talented defensive prospects moved on, Coral Gables is looking strong with its senior class once again.

At the top of the list is running back Amir Rasul, who at 6-0, 192 pounds is a four-star recruit on most sites.

Rasul committed to UM in January and had his recruitment blow up since, gathering more than 20 offers from all over the country. Even USC has come all the way to the East Coast to visit Coral Gables and check on Rasul.

“He’s offered from coast to coast,” Coral Gables coach Roger Pollard said. “Every school in the nation has recognized his talent.”

With all the options that have opened up for Rasul, who is also an elite track talent and is spending the spring away from the football team running track, his commitment to the Canes should be considered a soft one. When asked, Pollard could not confirm how firm Rasul’s commitment is currently but said he will sit down with him when he rejoins the team in June.

While college coaches love Rasul’s track speed, they love even more that he runs like a football player with that speed.

Amir Rasul after a 195-yard, 4-TD performance against Coral Park last season. DAVID FURONES

“He doesn’t run like a track guy. He runs like a really fast running back, and I think that’s why so many people are really in love with him and what he can do for their program,” Pollard says. “People want home run hitters, and with the type of speed he possesses, he’s a home run hitter.”

Coral Gables’ trio of senior linebackers in Shakur Cooper, Gee Stanley and Robert Brown is one that will spearhead the Cavaliers’ defense and pick up some steam in the players’ recruitment in the fall.

Cooper, at 6-1, 210 pounds, is a four-year starter in Pollard’s defense. He was second-team all-state last season and recently received an offer from FAMU to add to a list that includes Appalachian State and Alcorn State.

“If he was 6-2, he’d be recruited by every school in the nation because his ability to rush the passer – you can ask anybody that’s played against us – he’s got a special knack, a lot of unteachable skill,” Pollard says. “Once that ball moves an inch, he moves two feet.”

Pollard plans on using Cooper, who goes by the nickname of “Pooh Bear,” all over the field his senior season and not restrict him to just outside linebacker.

Stanley (6-2, 200) has started since he was a sophomore and is a sideline-to-sideline outside linebacker who has also seen time at strong safety and lists offers from Alcorn State and Robert Morris since receiving an offer from Temple in the fall.

“He’s really quick in the box, quick with his feet and really knowledgeable in what offenses are trying to do against us,” Pollard says.

Brown (6-1, 195) is a South Miami transfer that Pollard describes as an “effort linebacker.”

“He’s going to run, he’s going to take you down,” Pollard says. “Wherever the ball is, he’s going to do whatever he can to get there.”

Alcorn State and Bryant University have offered Brown, but he’s also receiving interest from FIU and New Mexico.

“I don’t think there will be another linebacking corps with this talent. Usually you’ll have one stud, but with these three, pick your poison,” Pollard says. “If you block one, where’s the other?”

Quarterback Voshon Waiters currently lists one offer (FAMU), but Pollard expects his recruitment to heat up over the summer and in the fall once the season starts.

“I think with the numbers he’s going to put up this year, people are going to hit the brakes when they come by Coral Gables, and it’s not just for Amir Rasul,” Pollard says.

Pollard wants to take him to camps at FIU and FAU because he feels with how meticulously quarterbacks are recruited and offered college coaches need to see him in person.

He says Waiters has solid size at 6-1 to see over the line and runs the Cavaliers’ spread offense, which is very popular in college, to perfection for his unit.

January 18, 2015

ATTENTION COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES: The following list of high school football prospects from the state of Florida are talented athletes who have put in the work on the football field and in the classroom.

These talented athletes from all over Florida are qualified and ready to go. Check out their videos and call their coaches. You already know the talent in the Sunshine State is as good as you get. Help your program and help these young men.

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If you need contact information, just drop us an e-mail at Floridakids1@aol.com.

January 16, 2015

Oakland Park Northeast football coach Christopher Hay told The Miami Herald Friday he has been dismissed from his coaching duties at the school.

Hay, a South Broward graduate, coached the Hurricanes to a 1-9 record this past season after previous stint at Hollywood Hills as an assistant coach.

Northeast is still in the process of hiring a replacement.

“I love my kids and I just want to thank them for the hard work they put in and same goes for all the coaches out there doing things the right way,” Hay said. “Unfortunately [Northeast] decided they wanted to go in another direction. Whoever takes over will inherit a solid, disciplined program on and off the field.”

December 19, 2014

Miami Northwestern is hoping a familiar face from its coaching past can get its football program back to an elite level.

The Bulls hired former assistant Max Edwards as its new head coach Friday three weeks after opening the position for hiring.

Edwards coached at Northwestern from 1998 to 2004 under Billy Rolle and later Roland Smith, whom he now coached with the past five seasons at Central.

Edwards, 48, has been Central’s defensive coordinator during that time and a pivotal part of the Rockets becoming the first Miami-Dade County team to win four state titles in a five-year span and the first to go to state five consecutive seasons. The Rockets, ranked No. 6 nationally by USA Today, also earned an invite to the inaugural State Champions Bowl Series Dec. 27 in Boca Raton.

Edwards’ defense posted 83 sacks and was one of the most ferocious in the nation this season. He has been a part of six state championship teams during his 22 years coaching in Dade.

During his first stint at Northwestern, Edwards was a part of the 1998 state championship team and later coached at Booker T. Washington from 2006-2009 under Tim “Ice” Harris, helping the Tornadoes win a state title in 2007. Edwards also briefly coached at Miami Jackson, his alma mater.

Edwards replaces Eddie “Rabbit” Brown, who coached the Bulls this past season, leading them to a 5-6 record and to the playoffs after a one-year absence. Brown was suspended for Northwestern’s first-round playoff loss to Hallandale. The position was opened for hiring in late November.

Edwards becomes Northwestern’s third head coach since 2011. The Bulls have made the playoffs twice in the past four seasons after a county-record run of 19 consecutive appearances from 1992-2010.

January 31, 2014

At a ceremony Friday morning at the school's auditorium that was even attended by a couple of college coaches including Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, MaxPreps presented Booker T. Washington with its official national championship trophy.

The Tornadoes won their second consecutive Class 4A state title this season going 14-0 with two road victories over nationally-ranked opponents and a home win against then No. 2-ranked Miami Central.

Booker T. was voted the consensus No. 1 and will have another national championship presentation Feb. 12 when USA Today plans to come by the school.

January 04, 2014

Rumors of coach Al Golden leaving the University of Miami football team to take the helm at Penn State has already affected, literally, the biggest prospect in the Hurricanes’ Class of 2014 recruiting class.

Hialeah Champagnat Catholic defensive tackle Travonte Valentine (6-3, 338 pounds) decommitted from UM on Saturday after participating in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, and named LSU the lead school for his services.

“Since Miami ain't looking so good now, until further notice, I'm decommitting from Miami University because I'm not sure about Al Golden so far,” Valentine said in an interview with The Times-Picayune (New Orleans).

“All of the commotion about Penn State and this and that right now. Al Golden is a great coach. He told me I was going to see things that I've never seen before. So for right now, I'm decommitting.”

Valentine will take an official visit to LSU on Jan. 17, Kentucky on Jan. 24, and to UM on Jan. 31. Many believe LSU was always second place to Valentine behind UM, and now the Hurricanes’ next coach would have less than a month to regain his pledge with National Signing Day on Feb. 5.

Valentine’s coach Mike Tunsil said because LSU does a great job sending defensive tackles to the NFL, and the Tigers’ lack of depth at the position are intriguing factors.

“I’m a hometown guy, so I would definitely love for him to play down here so his friends and family could come see him,” Tunsil said, “but at the end of the day, it’s Travonte’s decision.”

Valentine took to his Twitter account later Saturday afternoon to help clear the air.

“Incase the U fans aint read things all the way , yes Im decommiting until this coaching situation is done until then sorry but im chillin!!” he wrote.

December 27, 2013

Roger Harriott is leaving high school football for the college ranks once again, and he's taking one of his star players with him.

Harriott, who led Davie University School to a state title in 2012, stepped down from the head coaching position on Friday to become an assistant head coach and running backs coach at Florida Atlantic, joining first-year coach Charlie Partridge.

As one of the most articulate and player-friendly coaches in South Florida, Harriott already made his presence felt on his first day landing the best recruit in the school’s history as University School junior running back Jordan Scarlett committed to FAU just hours after the news became official.

“I called Coach Harriott and we talked about today, and it would be a benefit for me to go there as far as staying [close to] home," said Scarlett, an underrated four-star prospect by 247Sports. "I just felt it would be a good move for me to stay with my running back coach, and keep the same routine I’ve been going through.”

Scarlett -- who had a strong interest to stay in Florida and had offers from more than 20 schools including Florida State, Miami, Florida, Alabama and Auburn -- said his closeness to Harriott as a father figure and family friend were also obvious reasons he pulled the trigger so quickly.

Teammate Deonta Fair, a Class of 2015 safety, also announced his commitment to FAU on Friday afternoon. Whether Scarlett and Fair sign National Letters of Intent to play for the Owls in 2015 remains to be seen.

Harriott, a former Boston University and Villanova running back who tallied more than 2,000 yards in his college career, briefly resigned as U-School coach in January 2010 to become the running backs coach at Syracuse, but decided to return home with his wife and four children in mind.

Now Harriott can have his cake and can eat it, too, trying to help FAU make a statement heading into its second season in Conference USA.

FAU officially announced Harriott's hire Friday afternoon. Patridge will also retain associate head coach and offensive coordinator Brian Wright on his staff.

"I am thrilled to bring Roger on board with the Owls," Partridge said in a statement released by the school. "He has been an extremely successful football coach and leader of student-athletes. He will bring leadership principles that will impact our program and his Florida roots demonstrates our commitment to the area."

With the news, several of University School’s top players in the Class of 2015 are in the process of transferring elsewhere.

Scarlett said he's thinking of attending Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas or Plantation American Heritage if he doesn’t stay at University School.